Liquid level signaling device



Jame 25, 1956 W. D. BOONE ET AL 2,751,877

LIQUID LEVEL SIGNALING DEVICE Filed April 1955 INVENTOR. WALLACE D. BOONE ARTHUR F. BRIEDE DES JARDINS, ROB IJJSON & KEISER THEl R ATTORNEYS United States Patent assignors to QPW Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 7, 1955, Serial No; 499,942 4 Claims; (21.- 116 109) This invention relates to a liquid level signaling device, and it pertains particularly to a signaling device used in connection with filling liquid storage fuel tanks and is simple in construction, easily and conveniently assembled, and eflicient in operation.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the invention is a signaling device which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is a signaling device which can be easily and conveniently assembled.

Another object of the invention is a signaling device which is mounted on a body that is adapted to be fitted to the storage tank.

Another object of the invention is a signaling device and a tank mounting means therefor comprising a complete unit assembly.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation will readily appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, we have accomplished the objects of our invention by the device and means set forth in the following specification. Our invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the valve member.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the valve, whistle tube and whistle assembly.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 is a conventional fuel tank provided with a flange 2' having an internal screw-threaded socket 3, the bottom of which has an opening 4 through the wall of the tank into the interior.

A body member 5 has a bottom which is externally screw-threaded at end 6 adapted to be screwed into the socket 3. Said body 5 is hollowed to provide a chamber 7 terminating in an opening 8 through the bottom that is of less cross-section than the chamber, thereby resulting in a step or shoulder 9 which provides a seat 10, referred to as a bottom or valve seat. This chamber 7 also terminates in an opening 11 through the top of the body which is of less cross-section than the chamber '7 by reason of the internal annular flange 12. The top end 13 of the body 5 is also exten'orly threaded to receive a cap 14 which is interiorly threaded. The top of the cap 14 is perforated at 15 to receive the end of a vent pipe 16, and the top of the body may advantageously be provided with an annular recess 13 to also receive the end of pipe 16 and seat it against the shoulder 17 which is one side edge of flange 12. A compressible gasket ring 16 and washer 18 fit within the cap 14 between the bottom part 19 of said cap and the edge of top end 13 of the body for compressing the gasket tightly against the exterior wall of the vent pipe.

7. 2,751,877 Patented June 26, 1956 ice A, cup-shaped valve 20 is provided with a hemispherical bottom part 21 adapted to fit against seat 10. The top end of the valve 20 terminates in oppositel-ydisposed upwardly and outwardly extending ears or lugs 21. The transverse spread or span of the ears are such that they are of a width exceeding the interiordiameter of the annular flange 12 so that said ears will, when the valve is lifted from its seat, limit the upward movement of the valve from its seat. This valve 20 is recessed at 22 for a whistle tube 23 to be projected therethrough and depend therefrom a substantial distance into the interior of the tank. The top end 24 of the whistle tube 23 can be swaged outwardly, to be enlarged into a shoulder 25 for engaging to the bottom of valve 20.

A thrust washer 26 is located in the bottom of the valve with its central opening 27 in registration with the top end of the whistle tube. A whistle 28 is pressed into position in the bottom of the valve above and resting on the washer 26. The whistle is in line with the open top end of the whistle tube. The lower end of the whistle tube 23, which has a side opening 29 therein, is adapted to be projected into the interior of the tank.

The body 5, or a portion thereof, is preferably of noncircular configuration for permitting it to be detachably fitted to the tank by a suitable turning tool. The portion 30 may be polygonal.

The signaling device may be assembled by first inserting the valve 20 sideways through the top opening 11 in the body member 5, and then turning it to the horizontal position seated on the valve seat of said body 5. It is of such size to be insertable sideways through the opening. Thereafter, the whistle tube 23 is inserted through the opening 22 in the bottom of the valve and pushed downwardly therethrough to abut the shoulder 25 of its enlarged head 24 against the valve. The washer is placed in the bottom of the cup of the valve and over the enlarged head of the whistle tube 23, after which the whistle 28 is press fitted into the cup side of valve over the washer, securing the parts as an assembled unit.

When the storage tank is being filled with fuel oil, gasoline or other liquid, the escaping gas or air displaced from the tank and passing upwardly through the tube and whistle to the fill opening sounds the whistle until the liquid in the tank covers the lower end of the whistle tube, at which time the whistle ceases to sound, indicating to the operator that the tank is nearly full. Further air or gas can be vented through the lateral hole in the whistle tube, but this will not cause the whistle to sound. If the tank be overflowed, the pressure of the escaping air or gas will lift the valve from its seat and vent it from the interior of the tank. The lifting movement of the valve is limited by the ears or lugs 21 against the top seat resulting from the annular flange. The elevation of these ears or lugs are such as to hold the valve sufliciently far away from the lower surface of the flange so as to provide plenty of venting capacity for the gases.

We are aware that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of our invention, and, therefore, we claim our invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A liquid storage signaling unit comprising a body member provided with a central chamber terminating in a top and bottom opening of lesser cross-section than the chamber for providing a top and bottom seat, means for connecting the body to a storage tank with one opening in communication with an opening in said tank, a poppet valve mounted in the chamber adapted to seat on the bottom seat on the body when the valve is closed, oppositely disposed ears on the poppet valve of greater cross-section than the top opening to limit the opening of the poppet valve, a whistle tube mounted on the poppet valve and 3 depending therefrom for projecting into the interior of the tank, and a whistle mounted on the top end of the whistle tube.

2. The liquid storage signaling unit of claim 1 provided with means for securing'a vent tube to the body in communication with the top opening therein.

'3. A signaling'unit for use with a tank comprising a body adapted to be secured to the tank wall, having a chamber therein with a valve seat at the lower part thereof and a passage leading from' the seat to the interior of the tank, said body having an internal, annular flange adjacent the 'top of said chamber, means for securing a vent pipe to the upper portion of said body in communication with said chamber, a poppet valve within said chamber adapted to "seat on said valve seat and having a pair of diametrically opposed ears extending upwardly 4 and outwardly from the upper periphery of the poppet valve, the tips of said ears being spaced from each other a distance greater than the internal diameter of said flange, a whistle tube carried by said poppet valve and depending therefrom for projecting into the interior of the tank, and a whistle seated in said poppet valve above the open upper end of said'tube.

4. The signaling unit of claim 1 in which the whistle tube is provided with a lateral vent opening below said poppet valve. 7

References Cited the file of this patent V V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,522 Mathey Nov. 8, 1938 2,522,207 Bald Sept. 12, 1950 

1. A LIQUID STORAGE SIGNALING UNIT COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL CHAMBER TERMINATING IN A TOP AND BOTTOM OPENING OF LESSER CROSS-SECTION THAN THE CHAMBER FOR PROVIDING A TOP AND BOTTOM SEAT, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE BODY TO A STORAGE TANK WITH ONE OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH AN OPENING IN SAID TANK, A POPPET VALVE MOUNTED IN THE CHAMBER ADAPTED TO SEAT ON THE BOTTOM SEAT ON THE BODY WHEN THE VALVE IS CLOSED, OPPOSITELY DISPOSED CARS ON THE POPPET VALVE OF GREATER CROSS-SECTION THAN THE TOP OPENING TO LIMIT THE OPENING OF THE POPPET VALVE, A WHISTLE TUBE MOUNTED ON THE POPPET VALVE AND DEPENDING THEREFROM FOR PROJECTING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE TANK, AND A WHISTLE MOUNTED ON THE TOP END OF THE WHISTLE TUBE. 